Ginger, Salt & Pepper

Another staple of the Onam sadhya, this mixed vegetables dish is colorful and flavorful.

The word Avial or Aviyal has literally come to mean medley due to this dish.

Ingredients

For sauteing

2 tbsp Coconut oil

1 tbsp Black Mustard seeds

10 Curry leaves

1 tsp Turmeric powder

2 Green chillies (slit lengthwise)

Vegetables

2 Carrots (cut into 1 inch long pieces)

1 Drumstick (cut into 2 inch pieces)

1 Raw plantain (cut into 1 inch long pieces)

1 cup Green beans (again 1 inch pieces)

1 cup Ash gourd (cut into 1 inch pieces)

For grinding

1 cup grated Coconut

1 cup Curd (Indian Yoghurt)

2 Green chillies

6 Shallots/ Pearl onion

1/4 cup Water

Salt to taste

Note: In the spirit of Onam being a harvest festival, I made a few substitutions in my vegetables with that grown in my garden.

Green beans substituted with Yard long beans

Ash gourd substituted with Zucchini

Green chillies substituted with Cayenne peppers (2:1)

Recipe

1. Heat oil at medium heat in a pressure cooker

2. Add mustard seeds, curry leaves and green chillies for sauteing and fry till curry leaves are crisp

3. Add turmeric powder and cook

4. Add all the cut vegetables to this and mix well

5. Let simmer for 5 minutes

6. Grind all the ingredients for grinding to a coarse paste

7. Add the ground mix to the simmering vegetables and mix well

8. Close the pressure cooker with weight on and cook for 3 whistles

9. Turn off and let the steam escape

Serve with hot rice